قل للظباء بذي الأرا

ك إذا مررت بهن جائز

Say to the gazelles at Dhu al-Nurain

When you pass by them on your travels

ألكن قتل العاشقي

ن محلل في الشرع جائز

Is it lawful in sacred law

To kill the lovers out of hand?

أوعدتم فوفيتم

والوعد منكم غير ناجز

You promised and indeed fulfilled,

And your word to us was of no effect,

إن الذي رحل الخلي

ط بقلبه وأقام عاجز

Truly he whose love dwelt in his heart

Yet remained behind, unable,

ألا تجشم في هواه

أثرهمو قطع المفاوز

Does he not endure for love of them

The torments, though the tracks are far across?

حتى يظل يجيبه

قلقا ويمسي الطرف غامز

So that he answers them, restless,

And spends the night with eyes that dart.

أترى متى أنا منكم

بوصالكم يا فوز فائز

When shall I be of you, that my life

Should be in your neighborhood the highest prize?

ولقد خلوت بها وأب

عدت العذارى والعجائز

For I have talked with her alone, and turned

Away the virgins and the toothless hags.

ليلاً فكان عفافنا

ما بيننا والصون حاجز

By night our virtue was restraint

Which stood between us, guarding chastity.

حاشا صحيح الحب يو

ماً أن يقام مقام ماعز

God forbid—true love one day

Should take his stand in place of dissoluteness!